About The Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, South Africa

The establishment of The Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, South Africa

The Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, South Africa, is a learned and vocational institution that caters for all certificated electrical and mechanical engineers in South Africa. It is also the only Institution for Certificated Engineers that enjoys statutory recognition in terms of the Engineering Profession of South Africa Act.

The Mission Statement

The Mission of the Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, South Africa, is to uphold the professional image, status and interests of all Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers through;

Representing the Certificated Engineer through pro-active participation on statutory, educational and professional decision-making bodies.

Regular formal communication to and between members to promote member interaction, fellowship and ongoing professional development of the Certificated Engineer.

To ensure an active participation of our members at branch level.

The Vision

Formally recognized within the profession as the representative body of all Certificated Engineers with the membership of The Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, South Africa being highly regarded by members through the visible and tangible added value benefit of membership through a combination of active branch activity and sound intercommunication to and between the members.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Institution are:

To develop the Institution as the natural professional home for engineering general practitioners adequately qualified by education and experience to take full responsibility for men and machinery in both electrical and mechanical branches of engineering.

To promote the general advancement of the electrical and mechanical engineering sciences and in particular the application thereof to the design, installation, maintenance, operation and control of fixed or mobile plant and equipment; to provide facilities for the exchange of information on these subjects amongst members of the Institution; to hold meetings and to place on record the proceedings of such meetings.

To uphold the status of the electrical and mechanical engineering profession particularly in so far as they affect those members of the profession engaged in the design installation, maintenance, operation and control of fixed or mobile plant and equipment.

To conduct such examinations as may be necessary to establish the qualifications of candidates for membership of the Institution or to grant exemptions to candidates in possession of qualifications deemed to be equivalent.

To support the efficient administration of the existing laws appertaining to the Mechanical and Electrical Engineering professions and recommend amendments thereto as and when considered desirable.

To form or assist in the formation of a technical library.

To purchase, sell, take on a lease or otherwise acquire or dispose of and deal with any lands, building or property, movable or immovable, which may be required for the purposes of or capable of being conveniently used in connection with any of the objects of the Institution.

To erect, maintain, improve or alter any buildings or erections for the purpose of the Institution.

To borrow or raise money by the issue of mortgage bonds, debentures, bills of exchange, promissory notes or other securities of the Institution or by mortgage or change of all or any part of the property or assets of the Institution.

To invest and deal with moneys of the Institution in such manner as may from time to time be determined and to lend money on such security and to such persons, company, bank or institution as may seem expedient.

To award study grants and bursaries.

To encourage members to apply to the Engineering Council of South Africa for registration as a Certificated Engineer-in-training or Registered Certificated Engineer.

To appoint delegates to other engineering bodies when invited to do so.

To do all things incidental or conductive to the attainment of any or all of these objects.

The term "Certificated" refers to the qualification attained by passing an accredited training program and examination. The qualification is presently known as the Government Certificate of Competency, hence the commonly accepted abbreviated reference to "Certificated". The process for attainment is shown in the education routing diagram.

The Engineering Profession of South Africa Act, No 114 of 1990 defines a Certificated Engineer as a person who is registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) as a Registered Certificated Engineer.

Certificates of Competency are issued for the purpose of registration as an Engineer at Factories, Mines and Works, as a Marine Engineer, and as a Mine Manager.

South African Laws legislate for the appointment of competent electrical and mechanical engineers to take responsibility for the supervision of plant and machinery in industry.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act, No 85 of 1993 does this in the case of factories, and the Mines Health and Safety Act , No 29 of 1996 in the case of mines and works.

Such certificates are issued in terms of the above acts and regulations, by the Department of Labor or the Department of Minerals and Energy.

Where the installed capacity of plant and equipment exceeds certain power levels, only persons in possession of a Government Certificate may be appointed. Unfortunately this has resulted in the misconception that the Certificated Engineer exists solely to comply with the legislative requirements.

The need for the certificated engineer is primarily through an industrial need and secondarily through a legislative need. certificated engineers have created a market need that goes beyond the fulfilling of statutory requirements.

The Certificated Engineer, however, provides necessary vital competencies to industry. Certificated Engineers contribute to the safe growth and profitability of industry by providing professional engineering skills and managerial services to the industry owners and users of equipment and machinery.

The Certificated Engineer has the ability to perform work in the public sphere in accordance with the qualifications, experience and according to a code of professional conduct.

Space restricts the listing of the vast varieties of industry utilizing the engineer.

This candidate must demonstrate sufficient knowledge of engineering aspects such as design, construction, erection, operation, maintenance, acts and regulations.

The evaluation of these competencies is not only by examination but through a process of quality assurance during and at the end of the training period.

ADVANTAGES OF MEMBERSHIP

Members have, through the Institution, a recognized formal representative channel of communication to other professional and statutory bodies.

The ICMEESA is formally recognized by other professional and legal bodies, as the legitimate body representing the interest of all Certificated Engineers.

The ICMEESA is the only forum representing Certificated Engineers holding all Certificates, Mines, Factories, Mechanical and Electrical.

The branches provide an active forum for sharing common interests and broadening the general engineering knowledge of the members.

Members of the ICMEESA have formal nominated representation on professional and statutory bodies through which the interests of the Certificated Engineer are enhanced and maintained.

Benefits of membership include free distribution of technical journals and newsletters.

THE FUTURE

Legislation is but one component to ensure that the necessary competent persons perform specific tasks. The continued need for the Certificated Engineer in industry is necessary through his proactive contribution to productivity and safety. The future South African industry must overcome the tradition poor productivity. The obvious solution is the introduction of mechanization and automation. This will create further need for competent Certificated Engineers. With an ever deteriorating higher education system and growing emigration, one can only predict that the shortage of university graduates will prevail into the future. To compliment this shortage of skilled professional engineers, the Certificated Engineer has an ongoing role to play. Certification or compulsory registration as a form of licensing will be necessary as a means to protect the public health and safety. This should be seen in the context of enabling competent persons to take responsibility for work that requires professional skills. Such registration also needs to tie in and be compatible with standard setting and competence assessment in other fields. Overseas recognition, both of the accreditation process and education programs and individual registration needs to be pursued. It is in this area that ICMEESA has a responsibility to proactively advance the professional status of the Certificated Engineer. The ICMEESA is actively participating in the process to ensure sustained standards of competency for the ongoing qualification of competent engineers.

Mining and Factory Professionals

Certificated Mechanical or Electrical Engineers in mining and factory are the professional engineering practitioners recognised by law in South Africa to accept legal responsibility to improve health and safety in mines and works.

These Engineers need to provide solutions reliant on basic scientific, mathematical and engineering knowledge, supported by analysis and synthesis, and underpinned by sound techno-economic analysis. Solutions must take into account the needs of society and protection of the physical environment. The Certificated Engineer brings to an engineering problem leadership, management and a technologically specific approach, supported by financial, commercial, statutory, safety, and environmental knowledge as required. The Certificated Engineer manages interactions within and at the boundaries of the industry context and technology domain.

Students

The Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, South Africa, invites all students studying towards their Engineering Certificate of Competency, and not younger than 18 years of age, to apply. It is also expected that upon completion of studies that students become Corporate Members of the Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, South Africa.

The Institution of Certificated Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, South Africa, aids students with their studies in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering (Heavy current) with of a Bursary fund program. To be considered for this Bursary, the student is studying at a recognised South African university as a full-time student in either Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering (Heavy current). The student is in his or her second year of studies.

2019 bursary applications are closed. 2020 bursary applications will open from July 2019 till 30 Sept 2019. If the Bursary applicant has not received any written communication from our offices after 30 November 2018, then the application was unsuccessful.